Ski-lift



Jan. 19, 1965 D. M. SCHIPPERS SKI-LIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1962 United States PatentiO 3,166,021 SKI-LIFT Dirk Michiel Schippers, La Treille, Magagnosc, France Filed May 18, 1962, Ser. No. 197,169 Claims priority, application France, May 23, 1961, 862,585, Patent 1,308,570; Feb. 20, 1962, 888,661, Patent 1,308,570

8 Claims. (Cl. 1(i4-173) The invention relates to a slope ascending apparatus of the type more often named a ski-lift which pulls along skiers or toboggans or other sledges carrying a person or a load. 7

The object of the invention is to providea light skilift which can be easily brought to the place of use, mounted and dismounted, presents no danger even for children, can be easily shifted, and is furthermore relatively cheap, these various advantages rendering this apparatus a ski-lift of utility for a small group of persons, for example a family.

Another'object of the invention is to provide askilift of this typewhich, while meeting these requirements can nonetheless pull several persons up an ascending slope at normal speed over a distance of about several hundred 7 metres and even about one kilometre.

I The ski-lift according to the invention which meets 3,166,021 Patented Jan. 19, 1965 engages said disconnecting device;

Said arm is provided at its end with an eye for securing said device to a stick held by the user or to some other load, such as a toboggan or sledge.

In the course of operation of the apparatus this cable may be required to pull along a widely varying total load which depends in particular on the number of skiers or i on the weights of the inert loads hooked to the cable.

, regulated to the value of this resistant torque.

solid with said chassis whereby the latter can slide on .the

snow and the ground, a motor rigidly fixed on said chassis, a drive pulley rotatively mounted on said chassis, gear means operatively connected with said motor and said drive pulley, an end pulley spaced from said chassis, removable chassis anchoring means for anchoring said chassis in the snow or the ground, removable pulley anchoring means for anchoring said end pulley in the snow or the ground, an endless cable extending round said drive pulley and said end pulley, at least one friction-operated hooking device .for detachably hooking on a fixed part of said chassis and the other end being" directed upstream relative to the movementof said cable within said spring, for automatically disconnect-. ing from said cable said hooking device when the latter,

at the end of its travel, engages said free end of said spring, I

Another object of the invention is to provide a skilift comprising; a chassis, slide members solid with said chassis whereby the latter can slide on the snow and the ground, a motor rigidly fix'ed on said chassis, a drive pulley rotatively mountedon said chassis, gear means operatively connected with said motor and said drive pulley, an end pulley spaced from said chassis, removable chassis anchoring means for anchoring said cha'ssisin the snow or the ground, removable pulley anchoring means for anchoring said end pulley in the snow or the ground, an

' endless cable extending around said drive pulley and said end" pulley, and, at least'one hooking device; said.

hooking device comprising: a flat support having aplane face, two substantially circular projections solid with said support on said plane face, said projections having the shape of V-groove'pulleys whose axes are perpendicular to said plane face and being spaced apart such a distance as to allow said cable to be introduced between said projections, the dimensions of the grooves of said V-groove pulleys being such as to allow. wedging said cable in said grooves, a lever arm extending laterally of said support, solid with the latter, said lever arm having.

a longitudinal axis parallel with said plane face and contained in the symmetry plane perpendicular to the line passing through the centers of said twoprojections; said This regulation can be effected in the well-known manner by means of devices which vary with the type of motor used and which can comprise, for example, a device regulating the applied voltage if it concerns an electric motor, or a device regulating the admission of the gases if it concerns an internal combustion motor.

In any case, this regulation is carried out by mechani- I cally acting on a control, for example a rod, which acts on the regulating device proper, for example on the throttle valve of the carburetor.

This regulation can be controlled manually with the same case as on a motor vehicle, but this requires the constant presence of an operator next to the ski-lift.

Another feature of the invention'is the provision of a device whereby the driving torque is regulated automatically when the load applied to the ski-lift varies.

According to a modification of the invention, the anchoring means of the apparatus, enabling the latter to resist the traction'of the moving cable, is secured not to the chassis of the apparatus but to an element elastically movable relative to the chassis so that the chassis can move relative to the anchoring means in opposition to the elastic action, said element being connected to the control controlling the torque of the motor of the apparatus so that when, under the effect of a variation in the traction exerted by the cable, the apparatus moves away from or towards its anchoring means said element undergoes a relative displacement relative to the chassis and shifts saidcontrol of the motor, said shifting being a functionof the displacement of the apparatus relative to Said element elastically movable relativeto the chassis can be a link pivotally mounted on the chassis at one of its ends, the other end of the link beingmovable and operatively connected to an elastic element which latter is connected tovor bears against the chassis, said movable end ofthe' link'being connected to said control of the motor. p v

Said elastic element can be, for example, a helical spring working under compression or extension.

The anchoring means is preferably connected to said,

link at a point intermediate of the two ends of the latter so that a small displacement'of the apparatus relativeto the anchoring means, which creates a small displacement of the'point of attachment of the anchoring means to the i linl'gproduces a'greater displacement of thelrnovableend of the link ,and consequently of [said control of the motor.

. Theapparatusis preferably mounted on a support.

facilitating its movement over the ground under the effect of a traction on the cable; for example, the appa- V be apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to theaceompanying drawings to which theinvention is in'no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the general assembly of one embodiment of a slope ascending apparatus of the ski-lift type according to the invention, the apparatus being in its working position; i a

FIGQZ is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of oneof the individual hooking devices of .utility in the ski-lift shown in FIGJI, v

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of the motorchassis, namely i a side elevatio'nal and a plan view respectively;

FIG. is'a detail viewof the automatic driving torque-- regulating system; f

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a disconnecting device which is a part of the ski-lift of the invention;

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the ski-lift according to the invention comprises a fixed unit which is anchored in theground or snow but is easily removed therefrom. This unit (FIG. 1) comprises a motor chassis 1 anchored by anchoring means in the form of a threepronged fork 2 the prongs of which are inclined down- Wardly, towards the ground in the direction of the traction exerted on this .anchori'ngmeansQan endless cable 3 I driven by the motor on the. chassis 1, an end pulley 4 round which passes the end of the loop formed by the cable, said pulley'being freely rotative on a sheaf 5 to which is connected a spring 6 connected to an anchoring -m'eans in the form of a three-pronged fork 7 similar to the fork 2. This cable hasan ascending sideSa and a descending side 3b; it can be held taut in a straight line between .the chassis 1 and the, extreme point 8 of the travel, but preferably a sheaf carrying a pair of pulleys 11, is anchored at this point'8 by means'of a three-pronged V fork 9,"the end pulley-4 merely insuring that the cableis' kept under tension. p

The forks 2, 7, 9 can be replaced by any other anchoring means having a sufficient number of prongs and sufficient surface to alford a suitable anchoring. Prongs 30 cm. in length are normally apparatusf The motor chassis 1 comprises an independent motor, i.

unit being about 10 kg; it can then be mounted on skis and pulled along by hand. If the slope and the number of users require a more powerful motor, a heavier unit may be needed, for example weighing about 20 kg.

The distance between the drivingstation 1 and the point 3 can vary to a very large extent in accordance withthe nature of the ground and other considerations affecting sufiicient in the, case'of a small 4 having V-shaped sections whose dimensoins suit the diameter of the cable. An arm 16 contained in the same plane as the plate 13 is fixed to the plate in the plane of symmetry of the latter. Preferably, the arm 15 is also moulded or cast in one piece with the plate 13. It has at one end an eye 17 to which can be secured a connection 13 for attaching the device 12 to a rigid element, such as a stick of a skier which pulls thelatter along, or to for example a toboggan or sledge.

This device operates in a simple manner:

Assuming that the ascending side 3aiof the cable 3 is driven for example in the direction of the arrow F (FIG. 2), if the device 12 is placed in the position I, that is, in such manner that the cable passes between the two projections 14a, 14b,'the arm'16 extending in a direction way between the latter, the cable is wound round a portion.

of an arc of each of the projections 14a, 14b. As will be understood, owing to the frictional contact created a driving of the cable round the projections, this driving force the lengthof the required travel; the length of the cable 3 is arranged accordingly.

The cable is so chosen as to have strength. a

It' can be seen that this permanently secured in the ground and' in particular no support posts. The cables lie on or in'the snow or at certain points are held at a smallheight above the latter. The apparatus can therefore housed on slopes which vary widely and on stretches of groundhaving verygreat variations in slope.

The motor unit 1 can an amply sulficient attachment meanssuch asl oops, knots, 'hooks or other elements. of any kind projecting from the cable.

7 This device comprises a supportplate 13 provided with two bosses or projections 14a, 14b in the form of pulleys apparatus has no element'to be in any. case be installed at the upper or lower end of the slope. I

' According to'an important feature of the invention the users .or the loadstobe drawn along canbehooked ontov rium forward or rearward of this position depending on I stead 'of the direction F or if this devicewas placed, i a on topof the cable or on the side thereof. It follows i rigidly secured to the support plate orpreferably moulded or cast inone piece-therewith. These circular projections are provided on their periphery with grooves 15a, 15b

being proportional to the value of the force applying the cable in the grooves of the projections. This force is itself a. function'of theresistance R applied to the end of the arm 16 multiplied by the ratio OA/OB, in which 0A;

and OB are respectively the distances from the point 0,

(which is midway between the centres of the two projections) to the centre A of the eye 17 and to the centre B of one of the projections 14a or 14b.

It is thus easy to obtain a considerable frictional force between the device 12 and the cable, this force acting in the manner of a wedge, since if the resistance R (which depends on the weight of the load drawn along, the value of the slope, the condition of the supporting surfaces, the

state of the snow, etc.) increases, the adherence of the cable to the projections increases, on. the one hand, be

force connecting the device 12 to the cable; in the driving pos tion (FIG. 2), the arm 16 therefore occupiesva position 11 of equilibrium which is not necessarily perpendicularto the general direction of the cable as shown at II inFIG. 2 butwhich can assume any position of equilib the value of the load to be drawn along.

To disconnect the cable from. the load (for example constituted by the'skier), it may be sufhcient to cease-l0 apply the resistance R, for example by releasing the stick 7 hooked to the connection 18 or by detaching the connection 18 from the sledge. The released device12 then pivotsnnder. the effect of thetraction of the cable and falls away from the latter. However, due tofthe wedging effect exerted by the V-shaped grooves on the. cable; it is preferable to provide this ski-liftwith an, automatic} d1sconnecting devicewhich will be described hereinafter;

It will be clear that the load maybe hooked to the,

cable in pivoting the device 12 in the direction F in' that. the user can take up a position on either side of the cable.

P i fiiqm hooker other attaching device.

' of a funnel.

The motor unit 1, which constitutes'the means retaining and driving the cable, can be constructed in various ways. One embodiment (to which the scope'of the invention is not limited) is shown in FIGS. 3-6. In this embodiment the unit comprises a tubular chassis 1 formed by a bent tube or several portions of tubes united by welding or otherwise. i

This stand carries an internal combustion motor 25 which could be, for example, a motorcycle motor which has a power rating of a few HP. and is fixed or suspended from the chassis by tubes or elastic suspension devices. This motor drives through the medium of a gearbox 26, a shaft 27 carrying a pulley 28 provided with at least one groove coated with a lining of rubber or other material having a high coefficient of friction. The endless cable 3 passes round this pulley which is driven in the suitable direction. Reference character 3a denotes the ascending side and 3b the descending side of the cable.

Preferably, in order to increase the value of the angle of winding of the cable, the pulley 28 has two grooves 28a, 28b, the cable passing successively in the groove 28a, round a pulley of small diameter 29, and then in the groove28b; the directions of winding between the pulleys 29 and 28 are preferably reversed so as to still further increase the angle of winding.

Depending on its type, the motor can be provided with a change gear device (not shown) controlled manually or with an automatic variator automatically regulating the value of the driving torque in accordance with the resistant torque.

The ascending side 3a of the cable passes through an elastic disconnecting element 33 shown in FIG. 6 and comprising a sleeve 34 in which is disposed a helical spring 35 which carries an inlet member 36 in the form This elastic disconnecting element 33 is detachably secured to a tube 37 by means of rapid coupling device 38, such as a screw-and-nut or bayonet connection, these two types of connection being conventional and currently used in pipe connections.

The operation and the manner of using this ski-lift will be clear from the foregoing description. When a hooking device 12 drawing along its load reaches the end of the travel'of thecable, it encounters the inlet element 36. The shock occurs on the leading edge of plate 13 which thus encounters the abutment element 36. The hooking device 12 driven by the cable in the direction F (FIG. 2) presses on the element 36 and compresses the spring 35 (FIG. 6) while exerts on the device 12 an increasing reaction resulting in a torque which opposes the torque generated by the traction cable 18. The device 13 tends to pivot towards the position shown at the right in FIG. 2, in which position, obviously, no wedging effect is generated; when orbefore this position is reached, the spring abruptly expands and casts'the device away from the cable, thus automatically disconnecting the device from the cable.

When it is desired to remove the cable, the device 33 is released from the chassis almost instantaneously by unscrewing the cap of the connection 38 or turning the fixing element of the bayonet connection.

The invention therefore provides an apparatus having the aforementioned advantages. Owing to the ease with which it is mounted and dismounted, the apparatus can be placed in position at the start of each period of use and removed at the end of this period.

Therefore, outside the periods of use the apparatus can be sheltered from bad weather and requires but very little maintenance.

It will be observed that the cable carries no member which is permanently secured thereto; such members constitute a certain danger which is therefore avoided in the apparatus according to the invention."

The motor in this embodiment is an internal combustion motor (not shown in the drawing) and the rod controlling the fuel throttle valve is connected to a finger '51 6 or the like, so that an action exerted on this finger con: trols the position of the throttle valve, a rearward trac-' tion (in the direction of arrow F opening the throttle valve, that is to say, increasing the driving power of the motor.

The chassis is mounted on a pair of skis 52.

Pivoted at 53 to the lower part of the stand or, as shown in the drawing, to the ski situated on the same side as the cable 3, is a link 54 whose upper end 55 is pivoted to a rod 56 extending througha horizontal tube 57 welded to the stand 1. The portion 56a of the rod 56 remote from the pivot 55 is screwthreaded and provided with a wingnut 58 which acts as an abutment for a coil spring 59 partly disposed in the tube 57 and compressed between the nut 58 and the bottom of this tube.

The free end of the rod 56 is connected to the finger 51 controlling the throttle valve.

The link 54 is provided toward its lower part with one or several holes (two holes are shown), such as 60a and 60b, disposed at different distances from the pivot 53. Securedin one of these holes (60b) is a fork 61 to which is pivoted the end of the rod 62 of an anchoring means 63 similar'or identical to the fork 2 described hereinbefore.

This apparatus operates in the following manner:

When no load is carried or when the cable 3 is subjected to a light traction, the link 54 occupies for example the position 54-1 shown in full line in FIG. 5 and corresponding to an idle speed of the motor. 1

If the resistant force applied to the cable increases, the chassis slides in the direction of arrow F (FIG. 5), but the point 60b remains fixed since it is connected to the anchoring means whereas the point 53 moves slightly in the direction of arrow F The link 54 therefore assumes the position shown in dot-dash line at 54-II and the spring is slightly compressed. It is clear that as the point 60b is further away from the pivot 55 than from the pivot 53, the distance the pivot 55 travels through is greater than the distance the chassis travels through relative' to the ground. Thus a small displacement of the chassis creates a greater displacement of the rod 56 and consequently of the element 51 controlling the throttle valve.

The displacement of the element 51in the direction of arrow B; corresponds to agreater opening of the throttle valve and consequently an automatic increase in the value of the driving power of the motor. 7

When the tractional force applied on the cable decreases, the chassis is returned rearwardly by the spring 59, the rod 56 moves in the direction opposed to that of arrow F and the throttle valve of the motor closes to an extent depending on the displacement of the chassis.

The adjustment of the action of this device for a given load can be effected, on the one hand, by regulating the position of the nut 58 and, on the other hand, by selecting among the holes 60a, 60b the suitable hole for fixing the fork 61. In selectinga hole which is further away from the pivot 53, the action on the throttle valve is reduced for a given displacement of the chassis.

Changing the position of the fork 61 from one hole to another acts in a manner comparable with the passage of one speed to another of the gearbox of a conventional motor vehicle.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

For instance, the motor is not necessarily independent and can consist for example of an electric motor fed by mains supply or some other source of current; this is a possible solution in the case of a ski-lift for a hotel for example.

The automatic power regulating device is also applicable to a unit provided with an injection engine (such as a diesel engine) or an electric motor, the element 51 being in each case a suitable element acting on the control controlling the driving power; this power regulating device is also applicable to a unit mounted on wheels or articulated tracks. If the unit is not sufficiently sensitive to the traction of the cable, the sensitivity can be increased by suitably preparing the ground on which the unit is placed or by disposing under this unit an intermediate support, such as. a floor or floor-boards facilitating the sliding of the unit.

movable chassis anchoring means for anchoring said chassis in the snow or the ground, removable pulley anchoring means for anchoring said end pulley in the snow or the ground, an endless cable extending round said drive pulley and said end pulley,'at least one frictionoperated hooking device for detachably hooking a load at any point of said endless cable, and an automatic disconnecting device comprising a helical spring encompassing said cable and having one end bearing on a fixed part of said chassis and another end being directed upstream relative to the movement of ,said cable within said spring, for automatically disconnecting from said cable said hooking device when the latter, at the end of its travel, engages said free end of said spring.

2. In a ski-liftcomprising: a chassis mounted on slide members to slide on the snow or the ground, a motor fixed on said chassis, said motor having a power-control device and a control member connectedwith said power-control device and movable relative to said chassis, a drive pulley rotatively mounted on said chassis and operatively connected with said motor to be driven by the latter, an end pulley spaced from said chassis, first removable anchoring means for anchoring said end pulley in the snow. or the ground, an endless cable extending round said pulleys to be driven by said drive pulley, and at least one detach-.

able hooking device for hooking a load at any point of said endless cable; second removable anchoring means, connecting means connected with said second anchoring means and said control member, and spring means interposed between said chassis and said connecting means to oppose and limit the displacements of the chassis caused by the reaction of the cable when the latter is loaded.

3. Ski-lift accordingto claim 2 wherein said connecting means comprise a rocking member pivotally' connected, at a first point thereof, with said chassis, at a secpoint, spaced from said first point, with said second anchoring means, and at a third point, with a rod connected to thecontrol member of the motor.

4. Ski-lift according to claim 3 wherein said spring- 'fixed on the chassis, and is compressed between said chassis and a nut screwed on a threaded portion of said rod.-

6. Ski-lift according to claim 3 wherein the distance between said first and third points is larger than the distance between said first and second points.

7. Ski-lift according to claim 3 wherein said rocking :member has a number of .holespositioned at different :distancesfrom said first point, and said second anchoring means can be connected with said rocking member at any of said holes, whereby the distance between said first and second points can be varied.

8. Ski-lift comprising: a chassis, slide members solid with said chassis whereby the latter can slide on the snow and the ground, a motor rigidly fixed on said chassis, a drive pulley rotatively mounted on said chassis, gear means operatively connected with said motorand said drive pulley, an end pulley spaced from said chassis, re-

movable chassis anchoring means for anchoring said chassis in the snow or the ground, removable pulley anchoring means for anchoring said end pulley in the snow or the ground, an endless cable extending around said drive pulley and said end pulley, and at least one hooking device; said hooking device comprising: a flat support having a plane face, two substantially circular projections solid with said support on said plane face,

said projections having the shape of V-groove pulleys whose axes are perpendicular to said plane face and being spaced apart such a distance as to allow said cable to be introduced between said projections, the dimensions of the grooves of said V-groove-pulleys being such as to allow wedging said cable in said grooves, and a lever arm extending laterally of said support, solid with the latter, said lever arm having a longitudinal axis parallel with said plane face and contained in the symmetry plane perpendicular to the line passing through the centers of said two projections; said ski-lift further comprising an automatic resilient disconnecting device fixed on said chassis and encompassing said cable to automatically disconnect from said cable said hooking device when the latter, at the ends of its travels engages said disconnecting device.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LEO QUACKENBUSH, Primary Examiner. JAMES S. ,SHANK, Examiner. 

1. SKI-LIFT COMPRISING: A CHASSIS, SLIDE MEMBERS SOLID WITH SAID CHASSIS WHEREBY THE LATTER CAN SLIDE ON THE SNOW AND THE GROUND, A MOTOR RIGIDLY FIXED ON SAID CHASSIS, A DRIVE PULLEY ROTATIVELY MOUNTED ON SAID CHASSIS, GEAR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID MOTOR AND SAID DRIVE PULLEY, AN END PULLEY SPACED FROM SAID CHASSIS, REMOVABLE CHASSIS ANCHORING MEANS FOR ANCHORING SAID CHASSIS IN THE SNOW OR THE GROUND, REMOVABLE PULLEY ANCHORING MEANS FOR ANCHORING SAID END PULLEY IN THE SNOW OR THE GROUND, AN ENDLESS CABLE EXTENDING ROUND SAID DRIVE PULLEY AND SAID END PULLEY, AT LEAST ONE FRICTIONOPERATED HOOKING DEVICE FOR DETACHABLY HOOKING A LOAD AT ANY POINT OF SAID ENDLESS CABLE, AND AN AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTING DEVICE COMPRISING A HELICAL SPRING ENCOMPASSING SAID CABLE AND HAVING ONE END BEARING ON A FIXED PART OF SAID CHASSIS AND ANOTHER END BEING DIRECTED UPSTREAM RELATIVE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CABLE WITHIN SAID SPRING, FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISCONNECTING FROM SAID CABLE SAID HOOKING DEVICE WHEN THE LATTER, AT THE END OF ITS TRAVEL, ENGAGES SAID FREE END OF SAID SPRING. 